This guide is intended for college financial aid administrators and counselors who help students begin the aid process--filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, verifying information, and making corrections and other changes to the information reported on the FAFSA. The Federal Student Aid Handbook consists of the…

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was established in 2007 and forgives borrowers' remaining federal student loan balances after they have made at least 10 years of qualifying loan payments while working in public service. Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers potentially became eligible for the PSLF program and began…

A growing share of high school graduates have enrolled in college over the past three decades, a positive trend driven primarily by enrollment increases amongst students from low- and moderate-income families. At the same time, the net cost of college has increased significantly--for a population that is now less able to afford those…

This guide is intended for college financial aid administrators and counselors who help students begin the aid process--filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, verifying information, and making corrections and other changes to the information reported on the FAFSA. The Federal Student Aid Handbook consists of the…

Starting in September 2017, the first borrowers became eligible and began applying to have their loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review the PSLF program. This report examines the (1) number of borrowers pursuing PSLF and the extent to which the…

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant aims to increase the number of highly qualified individuals teaching in high-need fields, such as reading specialist, mathematics, or science, at high-need schools. TEACH Grants provide up to $4,000 per academic year to students preparing to become teachers. To receive…

The U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant aims to increase the number of teachers in high-need fields and schools by providing up to $4,000 per year to undergraduate and graduate students enrolling in coursework to become a teacher. To meet the requirements of the TEACH Grant,…

Education estimates 430,000 new teachers will be needed by 2020. It administers three programs that may help attract and retain qualified teachers by helping them finance their education. However, little is known about the efficacy of these programs. GAO was asked to examine the TEACH Grant and two loan forgiveness programs. This report examines…

As of September 2013 about $94 billion--over 11 percent of federal student loan volume in repayment--was in default. Loan rehabilitation allows borrowers who make nine on-time monthly payments within 10 months to have the default removed from their credit reports. Department of Education (Education) contracts with collection agencies to assist…

This report reviews the use of loans for learning in 33 European countries and analyses the schemes in eight selected Member States: France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the UK. The analysis shows that loan schemes vary considerably across Europe in terms of types and levels of learning covered, conditions of…

This paper presents the Federal Student Aid Annual Report for 2010. Federal Student Aid experienced an extraordinary year in 2010. The passage and enactment of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 ushered in sweeping reforms to the federal student financial assistance programs, resulting in tens of billions of dollars in…

A study was done of how interest rate floors on certain guaranteed student loans affect the federal government's and students' costs when rates on short-term government securities decline. The study developed cost comparisons using fixed and variable loan interest rates. For comparison Department of Education projections of loan volumes for fiscal…

Supporters of the new direct student loan program are critical of the private loan-guarantee agencies that cover lender losses on defaulted loans, portraying them as greedy, inefficient, and plagued by conflicts of interest. In turn, the agencies and banks doubt federal capacity to manage student borrowing. (MSE)

A study was done to determine the extent of and reasons for the Department of Education's delayed receipt of origination fees for Stafford Student Loans, and actions needed to facilitate the prompt receipt of the fees. The fees help offset the federal governments' multibillion-dollar cost of subsidizing the Stafford Student Loan Programs. There…

Colleges and universities are finding that improvements in the guaranteed student loan process are making it more attractive than direct lending. In its third year, the direct lending program's total loan volume remains at 33%, well below the 50% goal set in originating legislation. Even some of its strongest supporters fear the program will have…